Another Mother’s Love by Karen Scott - A moving true story

One
troubled little boy.A family with love to
spare.Their heartrending dilemma.

Auckland couple
Karen Scott and Mark Finlay had successfully blended a large
family but there was one thing missing. They desperately
wanted to take in a child; a special someone to whom they
could extend their love and offer a fresh start.
Another Mother’s Love is Karen
Scott’s heart-wrenching account of how she and her family
opened their home and hearts to a sad, skinny five-year-old
who was placed with them by Child, Youth and Family
Services.

After almost two years on a waiting list for a
permanent placement, in early 2011 Karen received a call
from CYFS to say they had a child urgently needing a
temporary home. Within a couple of hours, James (not his
real name) arrived on their doorstep, with nothing more than
the clothes he was wearing. Despite knowing almost nothing
about the little boy entrusted to their care – privacy
laws preclude CYFS from revealing details of foster children
or their backgrounds – Karen and Mark and their children
set about lavishing him with love, time and attention. They
hoped it would be enough. But what followed was two years
that would test them to the limit.

At times gentle,
charming and affectionate, James also exhibited a range of
troubling behaviours. When some of the family’s beloved
pets started being harmed or disappearing, Karen and Mark
were forced to confront the terrible truth – James could
no longer stay with their family.

Another
Mother’s Love is a deeply moving account of
one woman’s attempt to reach out and nurture a child in
need. Still grieving for the loss of her little boy, Karen
hopes that by writing this book she can assist other foster
families and help to change a system that, despite the best
of intentions, often fails the very children it is trying to
help.

“Thank you, my love, for all you taught me and
for making me a better parent, a better person. For that I
will always be grateful. I am so very sorry it wasn’t in
time for you, my little man – that you will not benefit
from all you taught me . . .. I know you have immense
strength within you and that is something that can take you
a long way in life. You have not had the best start in life;
don’t let that be an excuse. Instead, accept it and use
those harsh experiences to take you far.” –
‘A Letter to James’, Another Mother’s
Love by Karen Scott

Karen Scott
grew up in South Auckland, trained as a nurse and
worked as a model before backpacking around the world. Her
travels led her to Australia, where she had two daughters.
Returning to New Zealand as a newly single mother and
needing a way to support herself and her pre-schoolers,
Karen launched the parenting magazine Tots to Teens. Then
she met Mark Finlay, owner of a national chain of childcare
centres and a former All Black. They poured their hearts and
souls into making a success of their blended family and
their businesses. In 2011 Karen sold her business to be a
stay-at-home mum. Between them, Karen and Mark have six
children, ranging in age from six to twenty years old. They
live on a lifestyle block near
Auckland.

ALSO:

"Unfortunately we are in crisis and this friendly dinosaur faces extinction… Our only hope is to try and raise funds to buy the building and restore it to its glory, either fully funded or with a viable deposit." More>>

Previously undiscovered letters and a story written by a young Katherine Mansfield were recently unearthed in Wellington City Library’s archives by a local author researching a book about the famous writer. More>>